Lesson Description
This charming little jazz prelude starts off with clean, perfectly voice-led, diatonic 7th chords in C major moving through the cycle of 5ths (hence the title, Circles). Composed by Stuart Isacoff, this decades old piece then takes a minor turn and encounters some serious jazz chords- b9, #11 and b13 altered dominant chords among them. Learn about the different voicing techniques used in this piece and then open the practice sessions which include the full 2 hand arrangement of the tune as well as left hand voicings with comping rhythms and playalong tracks for soloing. Play the piece as is or use it as a jumping off point for a larger composition or as a vehicle for improvisation.
Preview
Watch this short video for an overview of the content of this course.
Prerequisites
Upper Structure Triads
Solo Jazz Piano
Rootless Voicings with Added Tension
Study Support
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Consult the Lesson Road Map to for a suggested sequence of lessons.
To continue your study of this topic, face-to-face, live webcam lessons are available.
Testimonials
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Course Curriculum
What's included?
Bill Rinehart
About the instructor
Bill did undergraduate work at the Berklee College of Music and holds the M.Mus. degree in Jazz Studies from the Boston Conservatory/Berklee College of Music where he studied with Ray Santisi and Charlie Banacos. Bill taught and played extensively around the Boston area for the better part of two decades appearing everywhere from the legendary Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge MA to a long stand at the Hampshire House on Beacon Hill in Boston before relocating to the Raleigh-Durham NC area where he teaches full-time on JazzPianoOnline.com.